In this weeks episode, Russell talks with the head of the MFA acting program at UNCG Jim Wren about the importance of teaching actors and inspiring them to make strong choices for themselves.

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Jim received his BA in Psychology/Communication and Theatre Arts from Heidelberg College and his MFA in Acting/Directing from The University of Florida. Tenured in the Department of Theatre and Dance at UF in 1990, he defied conventional wisdom by leaving one month later for the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where he currently serves as the Coordinator of the Performance Program and MFA Acting Advisor. He also serves as the Resident Fight Choreographer for Triad Stage. Jim teaches both undergraduate and graduate acting classes, and serves as Artistic Director of THTR 232 – the annual summer theatre festival co-produced by UNCG Theatre and Triad Stage. As Artistic Director of UNCG Summer Repertory Theatre prior to the new festival, Jim produced over seventy plays in his sixteen years of leadership. In 2001 he received a Kennedy Center Gold Medallion for Excellence in Theatre Education, and in 2005 was named Outstanding Teacher of Acting in the Southeast serving as mentor to the acting students at the National Festival. In 2006 he directed the Irene Ryan Evening of Scenes at the Kennedy Center. Directing credits include THE BLUE MARTINI (Kids with Guns at the NYC International Fringe Festival and Fringe Encore), THE NEW HOPEVILLE COMICS (Commander Squish Productions, Chernuchin Theatre, NYC), MOONLIGHT AND MAGNOLIAS (Hippodrome State Theatre, Gainesville, FL), THE SANTALAND DIARIES (Triad Stage), and CINDERELLA (Casa Manana, Ft. Worth, TX), in addition to over thirty productions for UNCG Theatre. His production of THE REVENGER’S TRAGEDY (co-authored with Joe Sturgeon) was selected for performance at the Kennedy Center as part of the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival in 2009. He and Joe have also written three musicals for young audiences- UNCLE ULYSSES AND THE MYTHIC SWORD, REDBEARD’S REVENGE, and KOKO KARATE AND THE KUNG FU KITTENS- all produced by THTR 232. A member of Actors’ Equity, he has appeared onstage in numerous roles including OUR LADY OF 121st Street here at UNCG and THE LITTLE FOXES at Triad Stage.

https://vpa.uncg.edu/home/directory/bio-jimwren/